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Can’t Wait To Start Your Garden? Gardening Hacks You Can Do Now!

It is still officially winter in the northern hemisphere, but ideas for starting this year’s garden may already be tickling your brain. If you can’t wait to get started, check out some of the tips in “19 Gardening Hacks.” Here are just a few things from the article you can do now to prepare for spring planting:

  • Get a head start by making your own seed tapes.
  • Start saving plastic gallon jugs to cover young plants.
  • Paint some river rocks to mark your plants.

See 16 more great gardening hacks in the article by Alex Harris at electrosawhq.com/gardening-hacks

 

Painted Rock Plant Markers

National Floral Design Day

In 1995, William F. Weld, Governor of Massachusetts, proclaimed February 28th as Floral Design Day. This day was selected in honor of the birthday of Carl Rittner. Mr. Rittner was a pioneer in floral art education and the founder of the Rittners School of Floral Design in Boston.

You can join in the celebration by picking up a beautiful floral arrangement or creating your own!

In Japan the art of flower arrangement, called ikebana, is a disciplined art form. The cultural appreciation of nature has this remarkably high development of floral art. Arrangements, which are typically asymmetrical, are displayed like paintings or sculpture.

If you are a floral designer. MB HANA offers an excellent tool holder to keep your floral shears protected and within reach. Our Top Grain Leather Tool Holster provides a handy place to stash your sharp scissors between snips.

National Poinsettia Day





Today, December 12th is National Poinsettia Day. You have probably already spotted them in stores.

If you have a few of these beautiful plants around the house or plan to give a poinsettia to your favorite hostess this winter, be sure to get a Sustee soil moisture sensor to go with it, so you will know when it is time to water.

This award-winning product from Japan turns blue after you water and gradually fades to white as the soil dries.

The Sustee absorbs water from the soil much like the roots of a plant. The device indicator window shows a white filament when there is not enough water in the soil to be absorbed by the plant.

Tomato Grow Bag – From Oprah’s Favorite Things 2016







Oprah's 2016 list of her favorite things includes organic grow kits from Urban Agriculture Company.

The Tomato Grow Kit is shown, but you can also get grow kits for rosemary, cilantro, mint, cucumber and lettuce.

Each kit provides a container made from recycled tea bags, organic seeds and soil. Instructions are included for planting containers.

If you know a city dweller yearning to grow their own, give them an Organic Grow Kit (available at Amazon.com).

One of Oprah’s Favorites Uses Succulents As Garnish







Here is a way to use your succulents that may not have occurred to you.

This "cake" of cheese is garnished with assorted succulents. It makes the list as one of Oprah's Favorites for 2016 and you can order yours from Amazon.com. Check it out!

Of course, you can always create your own culinary delight and garnish it with your favorite succulents.

It is a gift that keeps on giving after the "cake" is gone, as the succulents can be propagated and planted.

Grow Your Own Donuts

MB HANA offers US gardeners some of the best gardening hand tools crafted in Japan.

Watch as a Nisaku hori hori is used to plant and Garden Scissors are used to harvest donuts grown from seeds.

Be sure to look for all our great tools at mbhana.com



Share this video and let your friends know they can grow their own donuts too!

Nisaku Hori Hori Handle Changes – Is Your Digging Knife Authentic?


Nisaku Hori Hori Handle - 3 Variations





The Nisaku No. 650 Hori Hori handle has gone through a couple of changes over the last year.

The original version was made from Tamo wood and had a strong grain pattern (top image).

In January 2015, the handle of these digging knives was changed to a finer grain wood (middle image).

In October 2015, Nisaku added their brand stamp to the handle (bottom image).

During 2015, hori hori knives became much more popular and factories in China and other countries started producing cheap copies. To make it easier for shoppers to distinguish the higher quality, authentic Japanese-made hori horis, Nisaku added their brand on the handle.

While the earlier models remain in inventory at Amazon.com and other stores, you may receive any one of these versions, when you purchase a Nisaku Hori Hori.

Celebrate – National Plant A Flower Day!

Hori Hori Garden Knife Planting Impatiens

March 12, 2016 is National Plant A Flower Day. It is a perfect excuse to break out your hori hori and get a head start on spring. Whether you decide to plant flowers that will attract bees, birds, butterflies or flowers for your own pleasure, get a little dirty and join in the celebration!

If it is still too cold in your area to plant outside, you can go ahead and start some seeds indoors. Before you know it, they will be ready to transplant when the weather cooperates.

Be sure to take a look at MB HANA's standard hori hori garden knife with a custom leather sheath. This traditional digging tools will make your spring planting a breeze.